Pneumatic action.



c. a. GILBERG. PNEUMATIC ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- I7, 19M. 1,251,501.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG- 11; 1914- 1,251,501. Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

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CHARLES G. GILBERG, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

. PNEUMATIC ACTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Jan 1, 1918.

Application filed August 17, 1914. Serial No. 857,012.

To all'whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, CHARLES Gr. GILBERG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rockford, in the county of WVinnebago and State of Illinois,have invented a certa n new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Actions,"of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic actions, such for example as are usedin player pianos and piano playersQ Actions of this kind, however, maybeused for other purposes. V I

Prominent objects of the invention are to provide asimple and practicalform of pneumatic action of the kind specified; to reduce the number ofparts and obtain si1n plicity of construction; to prevent leakage; toobtain quickness and responsiveness; and to secure the foregoing andother desirable results in a simple and expeditious manner.

I have shown my invention as applied to a pneumatic action for'a playerpiano, although it will be understood that the invention is capable ofother uses. In this arrangement there are wind ways or trunks more orless mechanically separate and distinct from the valve arrangementsand'detachably connected therewith by tubular members or ducts so that aseparation of the wind trunk and the valve mechanism may be easilyaccomplished. The valve arrangements are constructed in the form ofindependent units connected preferably in a detachable manner with thewind trunk members, and alsowith the individual striking pneumaticsofthe piano player instrument. The individual valve mechanisms andpneumatics are preferably secured in a detachable manner to supportingmembers in the apparatus 50 that each one may be independentlydisconnected or detached and removed. ,Other novel features ofconstruetion will be pointed out more particularly in connection with thedrawings.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of theplayer piano pneumaticaction embodying my present invention; V

' Fig. 2 is a vertical section takenon line 2-2ingFig.l1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the action.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line H inFigl; I

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a detail of construction.

Referring to the drawings, I show at the upper part of Figs. 1 and2 aseries of tubes 1-1 which are understood to be tracker tubes runningfrom a tracker board, to a player piano instrument. These tubes 11 runto a board or member 2 which extends crosswise of the piano instrument,as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with transversely extending ducts3-3, as shown in :2. These ducts 3'3 are in communication withrespective tracker board tubes 1-1, as'for example by small metallicjoint connections 4. l. The board 2 is also provided with alongitudinally extending channel 5 which is understood to be connectedwith a suitable exhaust passage or duct. A simple an rangement is toconnect the same by a duct or channel 6, (Fig. 1), to an exhaust chain?ber 7 formed in the upright 8 at one side of the player piano, one wallof said chamber? being formed by astrip or piece 9 secured to the member8 by screws 10. This exhaust chamber 7 is in communication with thewindinducing apparatus, as for example by means of a tubular joint 11connected with a tube or pipe 12. Thus the chamber 5 in the board 2 isalways in communication with the wind inducing apparatus, causing avacuous condition to prevail in said duct or passage 5. A strip or board14 is mounted upon the member 2, forming one wall of the passage 5 andthereby permitting the duct or passage 5 to be opened by the removal ofsaid board 14. A'series of disks 15 of leather or other suitablematerial is arranged'along the bottom of the channel 5, as shown inFigs. 1 and Q. These disks 15 are provided with small bleed openings 16,establishing communication between the channel 5 and short ducts 17-17which run to the ducts or passages3. y

Belowthe members just described the-re are arranged a series of tiers ofstriking pneumatics 18-18 with corresponding and associated valvemechanism. Each pneumaticjL-S' is preferably secured to aseparate block19 (Fig. 3), the block being conveniently arranged above the pneumatlc18.

Each block 19 contains valve ports and mechanism as best shown in Figs.4, 5 and 6, r

duct communicating with a duct or pasi sage 21 formed in the top member18 of the pneumatic, and communicating with the interior of sandpneumatic. Thus duct 20 leads to a valve chamber 21 containing a valve22 which rests upon a valve seat 23 formed at the upper. end of atubular member or thimble 24. The valve 22 is provided with a stem 25having a cross-shaped cross section, as best shown in Fig. 6, wherebysaid valve maysubstantially fill the thimble 24 and at the same timehave channels 26 to permit passage of air. A. disk or plate 27 issocured upon the top of the block 19 as by screws 28. Between the diskor plate 27 which is preferably of metal, I desirably locate a washer 29of felt or similar material. The plate 28 is provided with an opening 30communicating with the valve chamber 21 above the valve 22. A chamber31is formed in the bottom of the block 19 and a pouch 32 is located at thebottom of this chamber 31 and below the lower end of'the valve stem 25.The pouch 32 is preferably secured to the top member 18 of the pneumatic18. Said top member 18 is provided with a chamber 34 below the pouch 32and also with a tube or pipe 35 running from the cham ber 34 out to theend of the pneumatic and projecting upwardly therefrom at 36. These ends36 are connected by tubes 37 with metal, connecting members 38, (Fig.2), secured to the lower end of the board 2 and communicating with thetracker ducts 3 therein. The block 19 is provided with a chamber 38,from which there is extended a tubular member 39, to which is connectedanother tubular member 40, such as a section of flexible rubber hose orthe like, the other end of which is fitted over a nipple 41 on a tube42, preferably made .of metal. This tube or pipe 42 forms a wind trunk,and is understood to be connected with the wind inducing apparatus. As aconvenient arrangement the end of said tube is terminated in the endmember 8 and its end put in communication with the chamber 7 which aspreviously described is connected by members 11 and 12 with a windinducing apparatus. Thus the tubular member 42 being a wind trunk, acondition of low pressure, for example, is communicated through theconnection 40 to the chamber 38 (Fig. 4), establishing a vacuum in thechamber 31, thereby holding the valve 22 down. When a perforation in amusic sheetpasses over the tracker opening for the pneumatic inquestion, the air entering the tube 37 passes through the tube '35 andinto the chamber 34, thereby elevating the pouch 32 and causing thevalve 22 to rise. This establishes direct communication between thetubular member 42 and the chamber 31, and thence up through the channelsin the valve stem 25 extended upwardly and provided 'withf a I head 45adapted to strike a wippen or other part of a piano action. In this wayeach pneumatic may be operated. It 'will be understood that the severalvalve blocks 19 are connected by tubes 40 to the wind trunk tubularmembers 42, as shown in Fig. 3; aiso' that preferablya channel orchamber 7 is formed in the right hand upright 8 (Fig. 1) which is incommunication with a tubular connection 11 and tube 12" similar to theparts 11 and 12 previously described. In this case the ends of thetubular members 42 of which preferably there are three, there beingthree rows or tiers of pneumatics, would be open into the right handchamber 7 just as shown in connection with the left 1mm chamber 7. Thetop member 18 of each pneumatic 18 is preferably provided with a cutaway portion or slot 47 (Fig. 4),

adapted to receive the flange 48 on the lower edge of a cross bar ormember 49 (Figs. 1 and 2). There are three such cross bars 49 withflanges 48, one for each row of pneumatics, so that the variouspneumatics can be supported upon the flanges 48. This arrangementpermits each pneumatic to be withdrawn and removed simply by pulling itoff from the flange 48 and of course'each pneumatic may be independentlyremoved without disturbing any other. To do this the two screws 50 arewithdrawn, said screws being passed through metal plates 51secured tothe tubular wind trunk members 42.

To disconnect the pneumatic and its attached valve block orvalve'holding member 19 from the member 42' the flexible tubularconnection 40 is also disconnected from either the member 42 or block19.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made-withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. 3 What Iclaim i's:

1. The combination of a pneumatic and a valve casing containing valvemechanism for said pneumatic, saidcasing being secured to saidpneumatic, a wind trunk and a supporting member provided at opposite"ends of said pneumatic, said pneumatic being supported by said windtrunk, and a detachable connection between the wind trunk and valvecasing.

2. The combination of a pneumatic and a valve holding member containingvalve mechanism for said pneumatic, said valve holding member beingsecured to said pneumatic, a wind trunk and a supporting member providedat opposite ends of said pneumatic, said wind trunk forming a supportfor one end of said pneumatic.

3. The combination of a pneumatic and a valve casing, containing a valveIIIQChLIllSIIl for said pneumatic, a wind trunk and a supporting ends ofsaid pneumatic, said wind trunk forming a support for one end of saidpneumatic and having a connection with said valve casing, and meanswhereby said pneumatic and valve casing may be removed from said windtrunk.

4. The combination of a pneumatic and a valve casing containing a valvemechanism r'or said pneumatic, a tracker board con nected with saidvalve casing, a wind trunk and a supporting member provided at oppositeends of said pneumatic, said wind trunk forming a support for one end ofsaid pneumatic, a connection between the wind trunk and valve casing,another connection between the pneumatic and the tracker board, andmeans whereby said pneumatic may be removed from said Wind ay and thetracker board.

5. The combination of a pneumatic and a valve casing containing a valvemechanism for said pneumatic, a wind trunk and a supporting memberprovided at opposite ends of said pneumatic, said wind trunk forming asupport for one end of said pneumatic and having a connection with saidvalve casing, a stationary member engaging the opposite end of saidpneumatic, and means whereby said pneumatic and valve casing may beremoved from said wind trunk.

6. The combination of a pneumatic and a valve casing, a valve mechanismprovided within the casing for said pneumatic, a wind trunk and asupporting member provided Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the member provided at oppositeatopposite ends of said pneumatic, said wind trunk and said supportingmember forming 9. The combination of a pneumatic and a I valve casing,of a pair of members constructed to engage the ends of said pneumaticand support said pneumatic between them.

10. The combination of a pneumatic, a valve casing, and a Wind trunk, apair of members constructed to engage the ends of said pneumatic, andsupport said pneumatic between them, one of said supporting membersextending from said wind trunk.

11. The combination of a pneumatic, a valve casing and a wind trunk, adetachable connection between the wind trunk and the valve casing, apair of members constructed to engage the ends of said pneumatic to removably support said pneumatic between them, one of said supportingmembers being extended from said wind trunk.

12. The combination of a pneumatic, a valve casing and a wind trunk, adetachable connection between the wind trunk and the valve casing, apair of members disposed relative to each other to form a channelbetween them, said members forming a means whereby the pneumatic may beremovably supported within said channel.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of August,A. D., 1914..

CHARLES G. GILBERG.

Witnesses:

A. LYDA J ONES, HAZEL ANN Jones.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

